HSBC Rugby Festival Dubai kicks off at 7he Sevens Stadium

Denzil Pinto 17:31 29/01/2015
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  • Grassroots level: The festival is meant to introduce the game new players and enhance skills of existing players.

    Hulking ex-England lock Simon Shaw isn’t hard to spot in the crowd and he will be among the thousands heading to 7he Sevens Stadium for the HSBC Rugby Festival Dubai this weekend.

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    The event will see over 4,000 players from Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE compete in different age groups from under-five to under-18, making it the largest grassroots rugby tournament gathering in the Middle East.

    With rugby flourishing in the UAE, large number of spectators are expected to turn out and support the region’s emerging talent and enjoy the variety of entertainment and activities on offer across Friday and Saturday.

    Tomorrow’s matches will see the boys – from under-5 to under-12 –  take to the field, while the girls’ under-12 and under-15 teams will also be in action.

    And on Saturday, the entertainment continues with the boys’ teams ranging from under-13 to under-18 playing their games, while the girls’ under-18s competition begins.

    Besides the action on the pitches, there will be plenty of activities to keep spectators busy, including children’s entertainment as well as a wide variety of food and beverage stalls.

    Live music from a DJ will keep the atmosphere vibrant, while HSBC and various local rugby academies will hold clinics for anyone who wants to learn new skills or enhance their game.

    Emil Seyfferdt, from the tournament organising committee, insists it’s an event not to be missed. 

    He said: “It will be a brilliant and nice day out for the family. 

    “It’s not just your normal rugby tournament; it happens once a year and besides seeing the beautiful facilities, they will get to see how much fun the kids have when they are playing a very popular team sport.

    “The feedback from those who have attended has been excellent. It’s going to be a great two days  and no doubt I think this year will be another successful festival.”

    Tomorrow,  Shaw, who became the first player to play 200 Premiership games, will be on hand to share his expertise and offer coaching tips to budding rugby players as well as signing autographs for fans.

    Star attraction: Simon Shaw (l) will be on hand to share his experiences with the kids.

    His accolades include several pieces of silverware at club level including four Premiership titles and he is also a two-time Heineken Cup champion (2004 and 2007) with London Wasps. 

    And ahead of his first visit to the UAE, Shaw, who won 71  England caps, is looking forward to the event.He said: “I’ve heard so many great reports about these HSBC rugby festivals in the UAE from other players, so I’m looking forward to experiencing one for myself.  

    “Watching young players enjoying rugby in the sunshine sounds like the perfect weekend for me and I hope I can give something back in the form of some encouragement and inspiration from my life in rugby.”

    Returning for a third time, the festival has gone from strength to strength and this year will be no different. 

    The festival is considered an important step in promoting youth rugby in the UAE and Emirati players will be among those in action.

    “Experiencing competitive rugby is very important for the development of young players’ skills and technique,” said UAERF secretary general Qais Al Dhalai.

    “Integrating our young Emirati players with the UAE club scene is crucial to the long term development and success of the sport here.”

    And Shaw agrees. He said: “I am a big advocate of creating a lasting legacy that supports the next generation of rugby talent, especially in emerging rugby nations such as the UAE. Achieving that isn’t possible without festivals such as the HSBC Rugby Festival Dubai that give youngsters the opportunity to participate, develop and excel in the sport.”

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